Pokemon X and Y are coming out in, oh, about three months, so I’d say it’s time for the hype train to arrive. Let me check my watch. Wait, I hear a horn! And an engine! Here it comes!
The Pokemon X and Y promotion is beginning with the distribution of super-special legendary pokemon for the last two Pokemon games. Yup, it’s a game-breaking affair! Of course, you have to own Pokemon Black, Pokemon White, Pokemon Black Version 2 or Pokemon White Version 2 to take advantage of this deal. That, and live near a GameStop, EB Games or GAME store. That’s also quite important.

That’s because the three shiny, legendary pokemon are only being given away at certain stores. If you want a shiny Dialga, Giratina or Palkia, you have to leave your house, with one of the four aforementioned games in your DS, DSi or 3DS and head to the store. Once there, you have to load up the game and choose the Mystery Gift item to get the shiny legendary. Each one’s available during a different period of time, so people have to make three trips in all, to get each one.

Here’s the schedules for the distribution in each region.

United States: GameStop

A shiny Dialga is available August 19 – September 8, 2013.

A shiny Palkia is available September 9-September 29, 2013

A shiny Giratina is available September 30-October 20, 2013

Canada: EB Games

A shiny Dialga is available August 30, 2013

A shiny Palkia is available September 13, 2013

A shiny Giratina is available September 27, 2013

Europe: GAME

A shiny Dialga is available August 30-September 12, 2013

A shiny Palkia is available September 13-September 26, 2013

A shiny Giratina is available September 27-October 11, 2013

Remember to clear out your Wonder Cards before going to GameStop, EB Games or GAME. If you have more than 11, which means you haven’t collected special pokemon from a PokeCenter in the game, you can’t get these three special characters!